Hao Ren and Han Lingshi were dedicating their time to cultivation and at the same time they were balancing their roles as a teacher and the Empress, respectively. It had been three months since Hao Ren first started inscribing his comprehensions on the Halo, and he had been reading and learning all sorts of sword techniques and formations.
He did not practice the techniques that didn't suit him but he did record them in his mind and after comprehending what it was about those particular techniques that didn't suit him. He used it to refine his own skills and then inscribed them on the Halo. After three months, he finished reading almost all the big and small sword techniques from the Crescent Moon Empire.
His progression with the Halo was kept a confidential secret and thus nobody knew why he was doing it, but Ye Jian spread the word that Hao Ren had decided to practice the sword and was already moving forward to the status of the Sword Saint.
Many other sword practitioners were simply holding their techniques as jewels that could not be allowed for the others to watch. They were scared that if Hao Ren came knocking, they wouldn't be able to hide their techniques because he was strong enough to get them to do what he wanted them to do.
However, Hao Ren was calm, and followed a simple rule, he asked the people to have a sparring session with him. The winner received a small scale world array and a bottle of perfect level alchemy pills. He traded with them for the information that he needed. Three months of trading caused many people to have new insights and they all gained the rewards too.
However, how can anything good last forever? One day, when Hao Ren was dancing around with his sword, he sensed a strong pressure coming from the borders of the world array. He frowned, and vanished from his spot. When he reappeared, he was on the southern coastline and across him stood a man.
The man wore a white hanfu, and his hair was tied into a bun. His hands behind his back and a sword was floating around him. The young man asked, "Who might you be, Senior?"
The man replied, "I am Karn. The sword god of the Spirit Siphon Continent. I wish to challenge you, the strongest of the spirit shimmer continent. If you win, I will give you my territory. If you lose, then your territory would be mine. Do you dare?"
Hao Ren smiled and shook his head as he said, "I don't dare, Sir. I am just a newbie on the path of the sword. Also, my realm is lower than that of yours, how is this even a proper challenge?"
His wits caused Karn to frown slightly and he said, "I am willing to limit my strength to your level."
Hao Ren shook his head once more and said, "I am still afraid. I cannot bet on the fates of millions just because I wish to compete. Forgive me for being unable to accommodate you."
Karn frowned and a strong sword intent flooded from his being and hit the barrier between the two of them. The attack caused the barrier to ripple and it rippled very strongly. However, even after the strong impact, the barrier handled it. However, this caused Hao Ren to frown.
Karn didn't stop and he kept on attacking. His attack caused the barrier to ripple as if it was made up of water. Hao Ren tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword and walked out of the barrier. This reaction made Karn feel accomplished and he smirked.
However, Hao Ren revealed his Halo, which shocked Karn, the aura around Hao Ren turned holy for a moment, and using that momentary window the young man said, "Freeze."
He used his Hypnosis skill and caused Karn to freeze. Hao Ren was quick, he moved from his position and when he appeared the next time, he stood behind Karn. He took back his halo, and turned around at the same time as Karn. The latter was still a little dazed, but the next moment he sensed something, and looking down he found that a gash had appeared across his chest.
He was shocked, Hao Ren said, "You may be the sword god, but you are still a mortal."
His words caused Karn to shiver, and then Hao Ren said, "You can leave, I don't intend to keep your head as my piss pot."
Then he walked in the void, and passed by Karn before entering the barrier. Karn was shocked for many reasons. One, he had no idea about what the Halo behind Hao Ren was, two, he couldn't even react when Hao Ren attacked, and third, Hao Ren called him a mortal.
He was the strongest sword god in the Spirit Siphon Continent. People shivered when they thought about his rage, and they worshipped him akin to a god, yet, here he was disdained upon today. The person he looked down upon gave him a scare, and while he was retreating, the person even exposed his back to him.
His was the humiliation that he couldn't digest. The more he thought about it the more offended he felt. Karn turned around and was about to raise his sword when he sensed a sting on his neck. He raised his hand to check, and found a trace of blood leaking from his skin.
His pupils constricted because when he looked at his fingers, he found them stained with blood. Karn was shocked, he didn't expect that Hao Ren had even cut him here, but this shallow cut meant one thing, if he wanted, Hao Ren could have beheaded him without giving him a chance.
Karn shivered imagining the possibility and his back was covered with cold sweat. He sheathed his sword and then vanished from his position.
Hao Ren returned to his dwellings and let out a sigh. He had to use the surprise element to suppress this guy but who knew what he would have to face next. He sat down on the ground and began to advance his Dao Being realm. Karn was a person in the Dao World realm, so Hao Ren stuck at the initial phase of Dao Being realm wasn't a good thing for him. Had he been even half a step ahead in terms of cultivation realm, they could have fought fairly and he would have gained even more insights.
… Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel⚑fire.net
As the young man was escalating his cultivation level, Han Lingshi welcomed Allyne Gram inside the capital city. The two ladies were sitting in the garden across from each other and Ye Lan was pouring them tea, and Han Lingshi asked, "What brought you over, Miss Gram? We could have talked on the communication talisman as well."
Allyne shook her head and replied, "The issue is serious and so my father told me to come in person."
Han Lingshi waited for her to continue. Allyne took a deep breath and said, "Spirit Siphon Council is a body that governs the major events there. After the convergence, the old people who sit at the top of the command chain came out of seclusion and these days they have been debating on the various aspects of the convergence.
Last week, it was decided that they will attack the Spirit Shimmer Continent next year. I wanted to give you a heads up."
Han Lingshi took a sip from the tea cup and asked, "How much manpower do they have, and what is their realm?"
Allyne replied, "Seventy million soldiers, lowest at the Planet shattering realm. The strongest of the council is called Master Hagan, he is said to be at the peak of Dao World level and even half step into the transcendent realm."
Han Lingshi furrowed her brows and just when they were about to continue, Ye Yin appeared behind Han Lingshi, and whispered something in her ear. Han Lingshi sighed and raised her head to look at Allyne Gram as she asked, "Who is Karn, the sword god?"
Allyne's face turned pale, and she asked, "What happened? Did he come over?"
Han Lingshi didn't hide anything and nodded as she said, "Yes, but he was repelled by Ren. What happened to you?"
Allyne gulped and said, "I am not sure how Master Hao repelled that sword maniac, but if he comes again with a new technique, tell Master Hao to let him live. Karn is Mister Hagan's son. The future goal of that guy is to become a Council Master. He will not stop until either Master Hao admits defeat to him, or beat him up so much that he submits to him. However, Mister Hagan is the real trouble here. Those arrays you have, they won't last long when Tyrant Blade Hagan attacks them."
Han Lingshi smiled and replied, "Don't worry, we have always expected that someone would come looking for a fight and we have our own contingencies. I will be mindful of it."
The trouble of war had come knocking at the door, and all they had was one year.